Blaenau Gwent

The religious profile of Blaenau Gwent changed substantially in the decade to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, relationships and marriage.

The population changed very little

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Blaenau Gwent remained close to 69,800.

The loss of just under 300 people means this area's population was the most rapidly-declining in Wales, while Blaenau Gwent remained the third-least populous local authority area in the country.

In 2011, Blaenau Gwent was home to, on average, 4.6 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Blaenau Gwent

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Blaenau Gwent increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This industrial area had a slightly higher average age than Merthyr Tydfil (one of the most statistically similar areas to Blaenau Gwent based on ONS area classifications) (40 years of age) and had a similar age to the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 1,900 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 15% of people in Blaenau Gwent are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Blaenau Gwent fell from 9.1% to 7.9% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 857 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 410.

In Caerphilly (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Blaenau Gwent), 11% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, similar to the 2001 figure. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Blaenau Gwent

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 45% said they had no religion. An increase from 28% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Blaenau Gwent.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Wales (from 19% to 32%).

The number of people in Blaenau Gwent that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 45,000 in 2001 to just under 35,000 in 2011 (from 64% to 50%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 7,000 to about 5,700 (from 10% to 8.1%).

About 250 people (0.2%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from about 160 in 2001 (0.4%).

The population without a religion in Blaenau Gwent increased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in social renting

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' largest fall in the proportion of socially rented homes.

In 2011, just under one in four (24%) households in Blaenau Gwent lived in social housing, compared with 29% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 6.8% to 13%.

Denbighshire saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of socially rented homes (from 13% to 13%).

The rate of social housing in Blaenau Gwent decreased by 4.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that rented socially, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook 11 local authority areas, including Ceredigion and Denbighshire, to become the Wales local authority area with the fifth-highest percentage of cohabiting households.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households in Blaenau Gwent had an unmarried couple, compared with 7.1% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person increased from 30% to 32%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 6.4% to 11%).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Blaenau Gwent increased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' largest rise in the proportion of unemployed people.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook Isle of Anglesey to become the Wales local authority area with the highest percentage of unemployed people.

In 2011, just over 1 in 15 (6.9%) people aged 16 to 74 in Blaenau Gwent said they were unemployed, compared with 4.7% in 2001. The percentage that were employed increased from 46% to 48%.

Merthyr Tydfil saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of unemployed people (from 4.0% to 5.7%).

The rate of unemployment in Blaenau Gwent increased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' second-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent fell below to become the Wales local authority area with the second-lowest percentage of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 16 (6.2%) in Blaenau Gwent reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.8% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 5.7% to 6.3%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability occurred in Wrexham (from 7.5% to 6.6%).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More single people in Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Wrexham to become the Wales local authority area with the seventh-highest percentage of single people.

In 2011, just over one in three (34%) people aged 16 and over in Blaenau Gwent said they were single, compared with 27% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 51% to 45%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership occurred in Cardiff (from 38% to 45%) followed by Merthyr Tydfil (from 28% to 35%).

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Blaenau Gwent increased by 7.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that said they were single, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook Rhondda Cynon Taf to become the Wales local authority area with the second-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) households in Blaenau Gwent had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 32% to 29%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 12% to 14%) followed by Bridgend (from 10% to 12%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Ethnicity in Blaenau Gwent

In 2011, 98% of the local population said they were from the White ethnic groups. A decrease from 99% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Blaenau Gwent.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across Wales (from 98% to 96%).

The number of people in Blaenau Gwent from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 310 in 2001 to just under 490 in 2011 (from 0.4% to 0.7%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just over 180 to about 390 (from 0.3% to 0.6%).

About 95 people (0.1%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 59 in 2001 (0.1%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Blaenau Gwent remained close to 98%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Blaenau Gwent residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 16% to 11% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 7 in 10 (73%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 59% in 2001. The percentage of Blaenau Gwent residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 17%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to nearby Caerphilly (which remained close 9.3%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Blaenau Gwent decreased by 5.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Blaenau Gwent working less than 16 hours increased from 1.0% to 2.5% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 14 (7.2%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 8.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to nearby Caerphilly (which remained close 2.3%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 1.7% to 3.0%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Blaenau Gwent increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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